Israel: Influence of Hippies on Israeli Culture

“Israel's always had a little more than its share of hippie tendencies,” writes My Urban Kvetch's Esther Kustanowitz, “From communal living arrangements (kibbutzim, moshavim, the army) to sandals and other footwear… Plus, unkempt beards, long hair, songs about peace.”

4 comments

  • Mira

    how can you be a hippie an serve in the army ?

    • Hi Mira,

      It’s a good question since hippies came out of the Vietnam anti-war movement. My guess is that this is where the way parts between the original hippies and hippie influence.

      My suggestion is to click on the link, read Esther Kustanowitz’s whole blog entry (it’s short), and post a comment there. I’m interested in the response as well.

      ~ Maya

  • It must not be overlooked that the original settlers (some of whom were hippies) were mostly educated professionals ranging in background from doctors, to lawyers, to engineers — and those settlers in Palestine (before Israel was Israel) were the survivors and true innovators of their time. They had a vision of a land, a people, and a community.

    • Mira

      having a vision for a better community and people is not a bad thing but when that is implemented as part of a political ideology namely Zionism here I pose a question, for sure Zionism is unique in that it converted a religion into a national identity which we do not have to get into its complexities and roots here, yet I do find a paradox in the two approaches; a political ideology based on one group of people believing to be superior and has the “right” to take over the land of indigenous inhabitants of Palestine while pushing them away, and the other is based on equality, sharing and peace .. settlers you are describing were and are part of a state and a system that from its beginning refused to coexist with people who were already there, and for decades now has not been “very friendly” with its neighbors.. not only that, this animosity was and continues to be employed to pull this society together and maintain a feeling of belonging ..

      I am interested how a critical Israeli hippie would be able to justify that?!

      will read Kustanowitz’s entry though ..

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